Clinical thermometer.



F. C. DUDLEY.

CLINICAL THERMOMETER.

APPLlcAnoN man ocT. l?, 1914.

49W Patented July 6, 1915.

In Ven tor:

by www Atty coLummA PLANDGRAPM C0.. WASHINGTON, D, c.

CLINICAL THERMGMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 6, 1915i.

Application filed October 17, 1914. Serial No. 867,049. i

T0 all 'w71 om t may conf-ern Be it known that I, FRANK C. DUDLEY, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Brooklyn, in thecounty of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Clinical Thermometers, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to an improved clin ical thermometer.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means in a thermometerof this kind whereby the mercury tube or stem may be immersed in liquidantiseptic when the thermometer is not in use.

Another object is to provide means to prevent leakage of the antisepticsolution when the thermometer is carried in the pocket or lies on atable or the like.

1t is also an object of the invention to so construct the thermometer,that the antiseptic will be visible, thus enabling the user to determinewhen a new supply is necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convenient and compactdevice, which may be readily assembled and disassembled for cleaningpurposes, and in which the graduated markings on the mercury tube cannotbe effaced by the solution employed.

The invention comprises the several features and combinationshereinafter more fully described, the novelty being pointed out in theappended claim.

rlFhe preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrativelyexemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is anelevational view of the improved thermometer; Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view, the mercury tube being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion of thethermometer. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 5 is asimilar view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, and looking in thedirection of the arrows; and Fig. 6 is a similar view taken on the line6-6 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

10 denotes the exterior casing which is pref erably enlarged at 11 toprovide a convenient handle, and has its body portion provided withelongated apertures or openings 12, and one end permanently open at 13.Designed to telescope with the exterior` casing 10 and coaxialtherewith, is the transparent antiseptic container or tube 14 which,

as shown in. the drawing, is preferably made of glass. By thisconstruction, the anti septic 15 (usually alcohol) placed in the tube 14is visible through the openings 12 in the outer casing 10, the latterbeingpreferably of nickel or any other suitable metal pleasing to theeye.

.The inner periphery of theenlarged head i 11 of the tube 10 is threadedto receive the` externally threaded knob 16 carried at one end of themercury tube 17. r1`he latter is provided with the indicationgraduations 1S preferably of cement or a similar material which will notbe dissolved or eifaced by ,theV antiseptic solution 15 4within theVtube 14.

In order to prevent leakage of the fluid out of the tube 14 l providethe following construction, reference being had more especially to Fig.3 of the drawing. Approximately intermediate its ends the enlargedportion 11 of the tube 10 is provided with an interior shoulder 19 thesurface of which is intended to be flush with the upper edge will alsohave a tendency to hug the tube 17, extend inwardly into the tube 14,and thus act to prevent leakage of fluid past the septum.

To clamp the septum in position l place immediately over its periphery ametal ring or washer 22 one surface of which is crimped or roughened asshown in Fig. 5, for the purpose of obtaining a good purchase againstthe septum 20. Taking against the ring 22 is an externally threaded nut23, the threads of which engage the threads formed on the interior ofthe enlarged portion 11 of the tube 10. By screwing home the nut 23, theseptum 20 is compressed against the seat or shoulder 19 throughintermediary of the crimped ring 22.

When it is desired to use the thermometer, the knob 16 is turned in theproper direction until the threads thereon are disengaged from thethreads of the enlarged head mem- 14 may belifted out, cleaned andrefilled if desired. 'Io assemble the device` the glass tube is insertedin the metallic exterior casing 10, the septum 20 and ring 22 placed inposition, and the nut 23 then screwed home. Thereafter the mercury tubeis reinserted and screwed down. When the mercury tube is in the positionindicated in F ig. 3, leakage of Huid past the septum 20 is practicallyimpossible, and the entrance of foreign subL stances into the glass tube14 is also obviated.V Moreover, as the mercury tube is drawn out foruse, the surface thereof Will be cleaned to a considerable extent byconp tact with the tightly embracing edges of the rubber septum 20.

What I claim is In a clinical thermometer, the combination of anexterior metal casing, provided With apertures in its body portion andhaving an enlarged end threaded interiorly, a shoulder within saidcasing and adjacent one end of said threads, a transparent tube Withinsaid casing and having its open end flush with said shoulder, a slottedflexible septum resting on said shoulder and the open end of said tube,means for clamping said septum in position, said means comprising 'a'crimped Washer engaging the septum and a nut taking against saidWasher, and a mercury tube having a threaded knob designed to engage thethreads on the casing In testimony vvlrereof I have aiixed my signaturein presence of two Witnesses. V

FRANK C. DUDLEY.

Vitnesses HENRY T. PYLE, GEORGE HL'ERIC'H.

Copies of .this patent may be lobtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

